


you will never sink when you are with me

by inlovewithimpossibility



Series: cerys' quarantine and chill fics [8]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Boats and Ships, F/M, Historical, Pirates, Quarantine and Chill Fic Drive (Arrow TV 2012), dressing as a man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23564689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inlovewithimpossibility/pseuds/inlovewithimpossibility
Summary: Getting to sail on the Red Quill underneath the famous Captain Ghost Fox is something pirates dream of. But when Oliver Queen lands himself a position in the crew, he finds that the fabled captain is not quite the terrifying man of which the stories tell.
Relationships: John Diggle & Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Series: cerys' quarantine and chill fics [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1667249
Comments: 42
Kudos: 139
Collections: Quarantine and Chill Fic Drive 2020





	you will never sink when you are with me

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy this brief look at this pirate universe. It was a lot of fun to write! If you enjoy, please let me know by leaving a kudos/comment, they make my day!

Oliver cannot help but take in a deep breath as he approaches the docks. The sea air has always felt like home to him, somewhere he can be himself and forget the restraints that hold him back on the land.

He’s enjoyed being home, getting to see Thea and his mother once more. Getting to hold them tight and tell them that he loves them is something that he misses when he’s away. After the death of his father, however, sailing the seas is the only way Oliver can provide for the two of them and ensure that they have a roof over their heads and food on their plates. They think he’s a part of a crew on a reputable trade ship, one that takes cloth to the colonies and returns with sugar cane and rum, and he did try that, for a while, but it just wasn’t paying the way his job does now.

Piracy is never something Oliver would have considered in the past. He used to think pirates scoundrels who thieved and stole from good, upstanding people. Turns out, pirates aren’t as bad as he thought and people aren’t as good and upstanding either.

His reason for coming home wasn’t the best of news. The ship he’d been sailing on, _The Dark Archer,_ went under in the Caribbean and with the captain dead, the crew was fighting over who should take over. It got so bad that Oliver had almost nothing to bring home to his mother and Thea so upon his arrival, he made his way to the tavern and attempted to secure his place on another ship.

And it seemed that Lady Luck was on his side.

A tall, dark man had been sat in the corner of the tavern and, when Oliver had asked if any first mates were looking for crew, he’d been pointed in his direction. He wasn’t stood on a chair, shouting about why his captain’s mast is the best to sail under, but had instead been waiting to be approached, calmly leaning back in his chair.

Nothing prepared Oliver for the answer he gave when he asked which ship he needed crew for.

Every pirate has heard tales of the legendary Red Quill. To many, it’s a lifelong dream to sail under the command of her fabled captain, Ghost Fox. He’s known for being one of the most ruthless and successful captains in the game. Oliver’s heard many tales of his supposed ghastly appearance, always hidden by a large black hat and a cloth worn about his head. Sailors say that those who have seen his face recoil in horror at the missing teeth and harshness of his skin, a result of years at sea. But they also say that if you can find yourself a spot in the Red Quill’s crew, sailing under Ghost Fox’s will set you for life. Riches beyond compare and a life of which every pirate dreams.

For Oliver, it’s a chance to make sure he can look after his mother and Thea. A chance to possibly return home and be with them for good.

The Red Quill is a vast ship, unlike many that Oliver has seen. She stands tall and proud in the harbor, decadence rivaling that of most trade and navy ships. She hardly resembles a pirate ship at all. He spots her iconic sail, tucked safely in the masts, and recalls the stories he’s heard of how it gets its bright red hue from the blood of Captain Ghost Fox’s enemies.

“It’s said that the cap’n takes it down after every village plundered and dyes the fabric with the blood of those fallen.” A voice from next to him speaks and Oliver turns to see a smaller man, also staring up at the mast. He looks like your stereotypical pirate, his shaven head half-hidden under a cap falling off his head.

“I’ve heard that before.” Oliver confirms, staring up at the red flag and watching the way it flows in the coastal breeze. It’s a good day to set off on a journey, the wind is strong and will carry them far from Starling with any luck.

“Oh, done your research, have ya? You joining the crew?” The man asks, looking him up and down with a dubious eye. Oliver knows he doesn’t give off the appearance of a usual pirate, especially since he’s been home with his mother and Thea who don’t know the true nature of his sailing career. His clothes are freshly washed and tailored, the holes he’d accumulated in them sown up caringly by his mother before he left the house.

“Just heard some rumors. Yes, to aid the captain in his cabin.” Oliver explains, earning him a low whistle from the sailor next to him and an impressed raised eyebrow.

“You’re new and you’re getting that close to the cap’n? Must have some serious experience.”

“I’ve sailed for a while.” Oliver shrugs, not wanting to detail his entire life story to this man on the docks.

“I’m Ramirez, by the way.” The man finally offers, turning to offer his hand and Oliver shakes it.

“Queen.” He replies simply, nodding simply at the man. He doesn’t want to offend and he knows that forming bonds on ships is important for production and morale but he’s never been particularly interested in making friends with the usual type of pirate.

“Pleasure to meet you.” Ramierez smiles and Oliver’s lips quirk. The man at least seems enthusiastic, which bodes well for their journey.

“Guess we’ll be seeing more of each other.”

“A bit. I’m only a galley boy, Queen.” Ramierez grins with a wink and Oliver frowns, his eyebrows furrowing.

“Oh right.”

It’s odd to him that he’s stepping so close to the captain’s inner circle when he hasn’t sailed under Ghost Fox before. The first mate was extremely extensive in his questioning of Oliver’s experience, for sure, as well as clearly testing his values on other things such as women and wealth, but he supposes he just made a good impression.

Perhaps someone had put in a good word for him.

“Queen!”

Oliver turns at the sound of his name to see the first mate stood at the helm gesturing him up to join him.

“See you around.” He tells Ramirez and makes his way onto the ship, quickly and skilfully climbing up to join him.

“The captain wants to see you. I hope you know how strange it is for us to invite a stranger into our personal loop but you have extensive experience. The captain trusts and values that.” The first mate frowns, looking at Oliver with a scrutinous expression.

“I know that. I appreciate the opportunity.” Oliver nods, having realized that from his conversation with Ramirez.

“Good, follow me. And you can call me Diggle.” The first mate tells him, the impressively tall and built man turning back to nod at him once.

“Sure, Diggle.” Oliver repeats, following Diggle up the stairs and through the doors at the back of the middle deck of the ship.

The doors are completely opaque, with no windows, and the glass on either side has been covered by boarding, ensuring that no one can see in from the deck of the ship to the quarters. The entire back wall of the quarters, however, are glass and light streams in through them, illuminating the elaborately decorated space.

Somehow, despite all the wealth obvious, the room manages to not be ostentatious. There’s clear thought put into the design of the room, the sumptuous red fabric that lines the walls matching perfectly with the silk sheets on the bed.

In the center of the room, in front of the wall of glass, is a large wooden table. This is scattered with paper, maps, and what look like metal pieces of machinery. Projects looking as if they’re in various stages of completion but Oliver can recognize the starts of some form of mechanized pulley system that he assumes are for the sails.

Sat on the chair behind the desk, with one leg thrown over the arm of the chair is who Oliver supposes is Captain Ghost Fox. The light streaming in from behind assists in hiding his face, but the legendary large brimmed hat and a black cloth tied over his skin does what the shadows cannot. A huge red feather sticks out of the black hat, matching the red coat he wears and his head lifts to show Oliver the briefest glimpse of bright blue eyes.

“Captain, the new crew member.” Diggle introduces, shunting Oliver forwards slightly with a push to his back.

“Queen?” The captain questions, his voice muffled by the cloth but it’s clearly grunting and weathered.

“Yes, Captain.” Oliver confirms, resisting the urge to run his hands through his messy hair in front of the intimidating figure.

“Good, I’m Captain Ghost Fox. Welcome aboard the Red Quill.” The captain states simply and Oliver recognizes the nod of his head that comes from it from the way the red feather moves.

“Thank you, Captain.”

“I need you to know, we work hard here. Rewards come but what pushes us forward is hard work and supporting each other. Are you ready for that?” Captain Ghost Fox questions and Oliver imagines the accompanying raise of his eyebrow seeing as his eyebrows are hidden by the large brim of his hat.

“Of course, Captain. I’m not opposed to a little elbow grease.” Oliver assures him, gaining himself another nod of the head.

“Good.”

The captain turns after that, looking back to whatever he was reading. He turns to the side and Oliver swears he catches the briefest glimpse of blonde hair between the hat and the collar of his coat but Diggle is ushering him out of the room before he can think too hard on it.

* * *

Oliver settles quickly into life aboard the Red Quill. Despite the myth surrounding the ship, it’s much like sailing on any other. There are always things to clean, sails to raise, broken components to fix, and at the end of a hard day’s work, food to eat.

Captain Ghost Fox runs a tight ship. Those mechanical projects he had seen on his desk that first day have been implemented around the ship to make life easier but that doesn’t mean the captain doesn’t encourage hard work. Most days, he spends all day at the helm, issuing orders for Diggle to yell across the deck to sailors not pulling their weight. More than once Oliver has seen a crew member be pulled into the captain’s quarters when warnings are not adhered to and, whilst they never speak of what occurs inside, Oliver has never seen those sailors slip out of line again.

The Captain is a figure that baffles Oliver. He’s quiet but with one of the most commanding presences Oliver has ever seen. His respect for that is only furthered when he realizes how small a person he is, standing shorter than Oliver himself, and looking positively tiny next to his first mate. Despite all of that, he has a way of commanding and demanding respect. 

Life settles very quickly and Oliver falls into a habitual routine, rising early in the morning and performing his duties around the captain’s quarters before he joins the rest of the crew on the deck as the captain awakens. He spends most of his days assisting on the deck before eating and returning to the captain’s quarters to complete his duties there for the evening. By the time the day comes to an end, he’s exhausted and crawling into the cot in the crew’s quarters is about all he can manage. The days come and go and Oliver finds himself enjoying life on the sea as much as he always has, the sea breeze always having felt like home.

Everything changes, however, on a day that looks like any other. Oliver lingers slightly longer than he usually does in the captain’s quarters in the morning. He struggles with the fire and therefore is still there when the curtains drawn around the captain’s bed start to rumble.

He’s not sure as to whether he should announce his presence or not when the Captain does it for him, the curtains opening fully around the bed and revealing a petite blonde _woman._

Oliver’s mind immediately jumps to wondering how the captain has managed to get a woman onto the ship seeing as they’re stranded in the middle of the ocean with no land around them for miles but then he realizes that there’s no one else in the bed.

And then the woman lays eyes on him and Oliver realizes they’re the same bright blue eyes that have been blinking at him from beneath the rim of Captain Ghost Fox’s large-brimmed hat for months now.

This tiny woman brushing long blonde curls back from her face _is_ Captain Ghost Fox.

Oliver lets out a noise of surprise, unsure of what to do, and the captain’s wide, surprised eyes settle with a shake of his… _her_ head.

“It’s alright, Queen.” She assures him, reaching for the breeches flung over the chair next to the bed and pulling them on underneath the covers. Her voice is far softer than what he thinks of the captain’s as but there’s a familiar tone to it nonetheless.

Oliver is thrown for a loop as she stands from the bed, moving to open the curtains over the back glass wall and drowning her in light. Dressed merely in a thin white shirt and the tight breeches, she looks far more feminine than he could have ever imagined. The breeches cling to clearly shapely legs and with the light streaming through the windows, he can see the outline of what are clearly breasts. The slope of her face is clearly feminine, her lips small and rosy, and her nose small.

“But you, I… oh my god… you’re a…?” Oliver stutters as she turns to look at him and she crosses her arms across her chest, a smirk painting across her lips.

“A woman, Queen. I assume you’ve encountered one before?” She teases, raising an eyebrow at him and Oliver blinks, totally unsure of what to do.

“Well yes, but I didn’t think you were one!” He exclaims, unable to look away from the way the light catches in her blonde hair and creating an almost ethereal light around her.

“Sort of the point of the disguise. But seeing as you know.” She shrugs, beckoning him closer towards her desk. Oliver blinks, confused at how nonchalant she seems to be about him discovering what he assumes is her biggest secret.

“You’re…” He trails off as he approaches, watching as she swings her chair round to sit next to the one on the other side of the desk.

“If you say beautiful, I’ll run you through with my sword. Don’t doubt I won’t.” She interrupts, leveling him with an unimpressed look and Oliver raises his hands in surrender, assuring her that wasn’t his plan.

“I’ll admit to some confusion, Captain, I won’t lie.” He swallows, looking between her and where the long red coat he’s used to seeing her in sits.

“Take a seat, Queen. You want a drink?” She questions, gesturing to a chair and Oliver follows the order, settling into the comfortable wood lined with cushions.

“Rum.”

“What else?” She chuckles, pouring them both a glass before settling next to him in her chair. Oliver watches as she takes a long swig of her drink, seemingly completely unfazed, before she turns to him, giving him a small smile. “My name was Felicity Smoak. Lady Felicity Smoak to be exact. Step-daughter to the great Duke of Starling, Quentin Lance.”

The legendary Captain Ghost Fox is actually _Lady Felicity Smoak._

Oliver’s not entirely sure this isn’t a weird dream.

“Step-daughter?” Oliver questions, frowning at the part of her story that jumps out at him. Felicity chuckles, nodding her head as she takes another swig of her drink.

“Before she met my step-father, my mother was lowly barmaid at a tavern frequented by pirates. One night, a particularly handsome specimen caught her eye and well, the rest was history. Luckily for her, the local heir to the dukedom had been in love with her since she poured him his first drink and he recused her from ruin.” Felicity explains, clear amusement in her voice as she tells the story. Oliver frowns, still very confused as this story links to her becoming a fabled pirate captain.

“And so you became a lady?”

“Indeed.”

“Forgive me, Captain, but it’s a bit of a reach from daughter of a duke to ruthless pirate king.” Oliver comments and Felicity chuckles, nodding her head.

“It’s not the most usual of stories, I’ll admit.” She nods with a smile before her expression grows more serious. “Mama always said I had the spirit of adventure in me. The thing about being a lady, is it comes with so many facets. People assume that wealth brings you freedom but when you’re a woman, it’s a different story. There’s always someone telling you what to do, what to eat, how tight to wear your corset, who to marry… it’s a prison sentence of a life.”

She sighs heavily, reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ear. Oliver frowns, she seems so young to him right now, with what Oliver now knows to be a disguise stripped away. Let alone this not being the fabled Captain Ghost Fox, this is not the captain he’s seen for the past months.

She’s a woman who was dealt a hard hand, so she did something about it.

“So you ran away?” Oliver asks and Felicity nods.

“I ran away. I was thirteen when the legendary Captain Walter Steele and his crew came to town. The captain himself burst right into my room looking for riches and I told him he could take everything I had so long as he allowed me to join the crew.” She states with a decisive nod and Oliver chuckles disbelievingly, his eyebrows rising in surprise. The thought of a thirteen-year-old girl standing up to one of the most well-known pirates on the seas and demanding he take her on board with him is one of the most unbelievable things he’s ever heard.

And yet here that girl stands today, a grown legendary pirate in her own right.

“And he just said yes?”

“It took some convincing but even then, I was very persuasive.” Felicity chuckles, clearly remembering the interaction fondly. Oliver met Captain Steele once when he was still sailing under Captain Merlyn but the brief interaction _he_ had with the tall, intimidating man doesn’t inspire fondness. “He taught me the ways of the seas, pirate law, the honor code that binds us all. Then when I was seventeen, I purchased the Red Quill and started sailing as captain with my own crew.”

It’s one of the most impressive stories Oliver’s ever heard. He’d already had an enormous amount of respect for the captain but getting a glimpse at the story behind the legend only inflates that respect. The work she’s put in and the adversity she’s faced is a testament to the legacy she’s managed to build.

“But then why the disguise? If you left your life as a lady to be free, why would you want to start your new one pretending to be something you’re not?” Oliver frowns, glancing over at the disguise that’s placed over a chair. Felicity frowns at his words before taking a swig of her drink and sighing heavily.

“Even pirates have prejudices, Queen. It’s a far more welcoming world, for sure. Look at John, he’d never be near the top of the hierarchy at home due to the color of his skin but the men don’t care here. But women are still women. Something for entertainment, something pretty to look at… even out here on the vast sea, the idea of a woman in charge is laughable. I’d never be listened to, let alone obeyed, and they’d never follow me, no matter how rich I could I make them.”

Oliver frowns, considering Felicity’s words.

He knows how difficult of a world it can be for women. It’s why he works so hard to provide for his mother and Thea, because there’s no way for them to make enough money of their own to look after themselves.

He’s always seen the sea as a far more accepting place. He’s mixed with people of all colored skins and numerous idiosyncrasies that have meant they’re ostracised from normal society, but he’s never really considered that it is still a male-dominated place. There’s tales of female pirates, legendary ones even. The famous Bertinelli Huntress springs to Oliver’s mind but he can’t think of any not closely linked to a man.

What Felicity’s managed to do here is create a persona for herself that removes any concept of femininity and an aura of mystery around her that protects her secret.

That’s seriously impressive to Oliver.

But there’s just one thing about it…

“That sounds lonely.” Oliver comments and Felicity frowns, looking at him with a confused expression before she shrugs.

“I have John and you now, I suppose.” She counters and Oliver raises his eyebrows, in retaliation. Felicity’s eyes narrow and they get that deadly look he’s used to from Captain Ghost Fox. “I assume you know that if you tell anyone this, I will carefully carve your insides out. I have a reputation for a reason, Queen.”

“I don’t doubt it. Your secret’s safe with me.” Oliver promises and as Felicity’s deadly expression turns to a smile, he realizes that in one short morning, his entire experience at sea has just changed completely.

“I knew it would be.”

And Oliver finds that he’s really looking forward to what sailing under Captain Ghost Fox Felicity Smoak will bring.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you are all keeping safe and well during these trying times. A huge thank you to essential workers and those unable to stay home. Times are hard for everyone right now. Stay safe, stay home if you can, and wash your hands. Sending love and strength to you wherever you may be <3


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